Addiction is Harmful to Marriage

There is no doubt about it; addiction destroys marriages. This has been observed in countless examples of marriages in crisis due to one or both of the spouses being addicts. The married couples who choose to address the problem early on and receive counseling and treatment are the ones that survive. The married couples who try to ignore the problem, sweep it under the rug or simply cannot agree on how to handle it are the ones who suffer and often fall apart. No marriage has to end over addiction. Those who identify it, seek help and allow their marriage to heal can have marital success.

The first step in eradicating addiction from your marriage is identifying it. You will start to recognize the signs of addiction in your partner if you are watching for them carefully. Addicts tend to change in their physical appearance for the worse. Often their weight becomes mismanaged, their muscle mass deteriorates and in the case of some addictions, their skin suffers. Addicts become moody and emotional if they cannot access their addiction. They will show signs of wanting to retreat from social events, hobbies they used to enjoy and the company of their close relationships in order to have more time with their addiction. Their work or school performance often will suffer, and they will generally seem to care less about things they used to care deeply about. When both spouses are addicted, holding each other accountable is more difficult, but still possible.

The best thing to do for both spouses is to seek the help of a professional rehabilitation service or addiction treatment counselor. Whether this is through inpatient rehab or another type of addiction service, do not underestimate the importance of counseling. If the married couple has been living together with the addiction for any amount of time, chances are the marriage is already somewhat damaged and needs the help of a mental health specialist. Marriages that have been tainted by addiction can be saved. It is simply up to you not to hesitate in reaching out for help!